Cursed
by MidnightHorrorShow
Summary: After being ambushed during a mission, Team Seven is changed forever. Sasuke wakes up three days later...different. Itachi and Sakura promise to help Sasuke adjust, but will their help be enough? Or will things quickly get out of hand? Monster AU
1. Humanity Lost

Sasuke crouched on a tree branch, watching his team from above. When he saw nothing with his Sharingan, Sasuke hopped down and joined Kakashi, Sakura and Naruto. Technically, they no longer had to go on missions with Kakashi. Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto, at 23, had reached the rank of Jonin. However, with how close they were to Kakashi, they decided to tag along when he requested their help.

"See anything, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked as he turned his head, looking back at the Uchiha. Without his Sharingan, Kakashi had to rely on Sasuke scanning the area.

"There were a few basic traps, but those are easy to avoid," Sasuke replied calmly as he moved to stand at Sakura's side. The two had finally began dating and were almost always together. Making up for lost time, Sakura would often joke.

"Our contact is supposed to meet us here, right?" Naruto asked Kakashi as he looked around, frowning a little. "There's nobody here."

Kakashi hummed softly before pulling out his book.

"Then we'll wait. Sasuke, you can set up camp. Sakura, gather some wood. We might be here for awhile, so a fire will be good once the sun sets. And Naruto?"

Naruto looked over.

"Yes, Kakashi-sensei?" the blonde Uzumaki asked with an excited grin.

"Try not to get in the way," Kakashi said and smiled behind his mask, his visible eye shutting.

"Not funny, Kakashi! I'm a Jonin now, I don't get in the way!"

"Go find dinner, idiot," Sasuke called out to his friend before he set a scroll on the ground. He unrolled it and placed his hand on it, sending his chakra into it. When the smoke cleared, three tents were set up. One for Kakashi, one for Naruto and of course the one Sasuke shared with Sakura. When Sasuke stood up, he found Naruto glaring at him. "Something you want to say?" Sasuke asked.

"Why aren't there four tents?" Naruto asked with narrowed eyes.

"Me and Sakura are a couple," Sasuke pointed out.

"So?"

"We like our privacy."

Naruto stared at Sasuke for several seconds before he blushed a little.

"Damn it, Sasuke, we're on an important mission! Can't you guys focus for once?!" Naruto complained before grumbling, rubbing the back of his head.

Sasuke simply shrugged and put his bag in his tent before coming back out. When Sakura returned, the pink haired woman did a few handsigns before tapping her hand down. A small stone pit was made using a simple Earth Style jutsu. Sakura had learned many Earth and Water jutsus thanks to Sasuke training with her. Setting the wood in the pit, Sakura sat down and glanced at Naruto.

"Shouldn't you be hunting our dinner?" she asked with an amused tone to her voice. "I'm sure I heard Sasuke tell you to."

"Sakura-chan, you don't always have to take his side!" Naruto complained but walked off, muttering under his breath. Sakura grinned and shook her head before looking at the firewood.

"Sasuke, can you light it?"

Sasuke moved to sit next to Sakura. He quickly used a weak Fire Style jutsu, spitting out a single ball of fire. Soon, the crackling sound of the fire filled the clearing.

"It'll be dark soon," Sasuke commented as he stood, his eyes narrowing. "And still our contact hasn't shown up."

Kakashi lowered his book and nodded once. He had a serious look in his visible eye as he put his book away.

"They'd be idiots to try something," Sakura pointed out. "I'm sure they'll be here soon. And if not, then I guess we have to search for them."

Sasuke placed his hand on the hilt of his katana as he heard shouting.

"Help! Please, help me!"

"Our contact?" Sasuke guessed.

"Voice matches," Kakashi agreed.

That's all they got out before a young man ran into the clearing. He was bleeding badly, his face, neck and hands soaked. Sasuke noticed what looked like bite marks on his neck, wrist and shoulder. A second after their contact arrived, another man followed at speeds Sasuke didn't expect from civilians. The mystery man was almost as fast as a ninja!

Moving quick, Sasuke jumped in between the men. The mystery man, now up close, didn't look much better than their contact. His lips were covered in blood, the red fluid running down the side of his mouth. His eyes were pure black and his teeth seemed sharp.

Sasuke let out a grunt of pain as the man slammed into him. He followed Sasuke down and pinned him roughly. Sasuke raised his arm to push the man off, but the man grabbed his wrist tightly with strength that definitely shouldn't be possible for the man. Sasuke pushed the thoughts away when the man suddenly bit his arm hard.

He didn't bite for long, however, as Sakura rushed over and kicked the man in the side, sending him crashing into the fire. He screamed in pain before jumping out and running away, leaving Sasuke bleeding badly on the ground.

"Son of a bitch!" Sasuke shouted as he sat up, gripping his arm in pain. "He fucking BIT me!"

Sakura was by his side in a second and began working on healing him.

"You'll be fine," she promised. "You know I'll fix you up."

Naruto finally returned as Sakura was healing the deep bite wound.

"Whoa, what happ- IS THAT OUR CONTACT?!" Naruto shouted, pointing toward the man. He was dead, having bled out thanks to the bites.

"Naruto, shut up!" Sakura snapped, her anger rising as she struggled to heal Sasuke. Why was a simple bite giving her so much trouble?! She was the BEST medic alive, damn it! His wound should be gone already! Finally, very slowly, Sakura was able to start healing the wound. But before she could finish, Sakura let out a shout of pain and clutched his arm.

"Sasuke?! What's wrong?" Sakura questioned quickly, Naruto and Kakashi rushing over.

Sasuke held his arm tightly as he thrashed about, screaming in agony. His entire arm felt as if it was on fire, the bite wound burning worse than the rest of his arm. The team watched as Sasuke screamed and struggled, unsure of what to do. Sakura tried to ease his pain again, though was very confused. A simple bite shouldn't hurt so much! Sakura thought, glaring at the wound.

Finally, after several minutes, Sasuke suddenly stopped moving and stared up at the others.

"Sasuke? Sasuke, are you okay?" Naruto asked.

"Na..." Sasuke began. His vision blurred then and his eyes shut slowly.

The last thing Sasuke heard before passing out was Sakura's voice.

"Sasuke?! Kakashi, he's not breathing!"

When Sasuke's eyes opened once more, he found himself in his room at home. He sat up, gasping for air as he looked around. What the hell happened? Moving to his window, Sasuke opened the curtains. As soon as the sunlight shined on him, he covered his eyes and stepped back, his eyes stinging from the light. Sasuke quickly pulled the curtains back over the window and stepped back, sitting on the edge of his bed as he looked around his room.

He looked up when he heard voices and called out, "Sakura? Naruto? Who's there?" The voices seemed to come from right outside his door. When he got no reply, Sasuke went over and threw the door open, freezing when he saw nobody.

"What..?" he began, trailing off. Frowning, Sasuke stepped out into the hall. Despite it being dark in the hall, Sasuke could see perfectly fine. With a frown, Sasuke went back to his room and threw on new clothes before returning to the hall. "Sakura! You here?" he called out.

Finally, he got a reply.

Sakura stepped into the hall and froze when she saw Sasuke.

"S...Sasuke? You're alive!"

Sakura rushed over to her boyfriend and pulled him into a tight hug, pressing her face to his chest.

"We thought...We thought you weren't going to wake up, Sasuke," Sakura whispered.

Sasuke wasn't focused on her words.

Instead, her scent is what caught his attention first.

Her hair smelled like her usual shampoo, though the smell seemed stronger. Not only could he smell her perfectly, but when he pulled his focus away from her hair, he could hear her heart beating. It sounded strong, beating fast as if she was worried. He could smell...

Sasuke quickly pulled away, a freaked out look on his face.

"Sakura, what happened to me?" he asked quietly. "I can hear your heart. I can...You smell so good, Sakura," he admitted with a frown.

Sakura frowned and placed the back of her hand against his forehead.

"Sasuke...Are you okay? You aren't making any sense...Maybe you should just take it easy. You almost died, after all..." the pink haired medic pointed out.

Sasuke stared at her quietly, glancing from her eyes to her throat. His gaze locked onto her throat and he stared in silence, unable to look away as if hypnotized. She smelled so good...

"Sasuke?!" Sakura gasped, sounding scared. Sasuke managed to look away from her throat and looked back at her eyes, seeming confused. "Your eyes!" Sakura shouted. She took the confused Uchiha to the bathroom and pointed to the mirror. "Look!"

Slowly, Sasuke stepped in front of the mirror. After a moment of hesitation, Sasuke finally looked.

What he saw started him.

His eyes were fully black, not a spot of white to them. His top canines were longer now, like fangs. Sasuke tapped one of the points of the fangs, quickly pulling his hand away when his finger began to bleed. Focus returning to the mirror, Sasuke watched as his eyes slowly returned to normal, the fangs going away as well after several seconds.

When Sasuke looked back at his girlfriend, he found she looked scared. Scared, though also a little curious.

"Sasuke, what..." she began, unsure of what to say. When she could finally speak again, she added, "Are...Are you okay? I mean...how...how do you feel?"

Sasuke decided in just a second.

"I feel...better than I've ever felt, actually," he admitted with a frown. "My vision seems better, my sense of smell seems cranked way up, I feel stronger..." he explained slowly.

"We should go to the hospital, get a blood sample. Try to figure out what's going on," Sakura decided with a small nod. "And we should let Itachi know you're...better..." Sakura trailed off as Sasuke stared at her. "We aren't going to the hospital, are we..?" she asked shyly.

Sasuke smirked.

"Nope."

Sakura tried to resist. She really did. But, as Sasuke dragged her into his room, she quickly gave up struggling. The two kissed quickly as they moved to the bed and soon fell onto it. Sasuke pulled back from the kiss and smirked a little before he kissed her throat quickly, sneaking his hand down her pants.

But soon Sasuke was kissing rougher, holding the woman down, his grip stronger than Sakura was expecting. She struggled once again, whimpering in fear as he tilted her head to the side.

"Sasuke!" she shouted.

In an instant, Sasuke pulled back and fell out of bed as he moved to get away from her. His eyes were black and the fangs from earlier were showing again.

"I...I'm sorry, you just...You were smelling so good and..." he tried to explain but trailed off, looking away with a frown. What had he been about to do? Was he going to bite her..? Sasuke stood up and took several deep breaths, nodding. "I need a minute," he told her before leaving his room. Sasuke made his way to the bathroom and stared at his reflection in the mirror, studying himself more closely. His eyes were black as the night with a slight glossy look to them. Looking lower, Sasuke studied his fangs, licking one slowly. Sasuke frowned as he remembered his attacker having the same features. "That solves the how," he muttered under his breath. He paused when he realized he wasn't breathing. Pressing two fingers to his wrist, Sasuke felt no pulse.

"Sasuke?"

Having been so focused on checking his new features, Sasuke hadn't noticed Itachi behind him until the man spoke. Sasuke quickly shut the bathroom door and looked in the mirror, taking several unneeded breaths in an attempt to calm himself.

"Come on, look normal," he muttered, gripping the counter tightly. "Come on!" he shouted. Finally, he made his eyes return to normal and his fangs go away.

"Sasuke, what's wrong? Open the door," Itachi called through the door.

Sasuke put on a smile and opened it, looking at his brother as he chuckled.

"Hey, nii-san. What's up?" he asked, trying to act casual.

Itachi studied his brother quietly. Frowning, he pulled Sasuke into a hug.

"I thought you were dying, and you want to act so calm?" Itachi questioned and shook his head. "How are you feeling? That bite really messed you up, according to Sakura-san."

Sakura.

Sasuke pulled away from Itachi and walked away quickly, Itachi following his brother with a frown. Sasuke headed for his room but stopped when he saw Sakura come out, the woman eyeing Sasuke nervously. Despite her nervous appearance, Sakura managed a small smile for Sasuke.

"Sasuke, how are you?" Itachi repeated. "Are you feeling better?"

Sasuke looked back, unsure of what to say. Physically, Sasuke felt better than he ever had before. He was scared, though, unsure of what was going on. Sasuke opened his mouth to reply when he suddenly felt a pain in his stomach.

"I...I was feeling good," Sasuke admitted. "But I feel hungry now. An ache," he explained slowly as he stared at his brother. Though he had never bothered really looking at his brother before, Sasuke now studied him. Like Sakura, Itachi smelled great, his natural scent pleasing to Sasuke. Not only did Itachi smell good, but now that Sasuke was actually studying him, with his new, better vision, Sasuke realized his brother was pretty attractive. Sasuke smiled a little as he stared.

Underneath the pleasant smell, however, further away in the house, Sasuke caught another scent that burned his nose.

"Itachi, were you cooking?"

Itachi blinked then quickly walked away, Sasuke and Sakura following behind. When they arrived in the kitchen, the eggs and bacon Itachi had been cooking were starting to burn. Now in the same room, the smell was far worse to Sasuke.

"Itachi, that's horrible," he admitted, covering his nose. "Could you open a window?"

Itachi blinked and looked at Sakura before glancing back at Sasuke.

"It's not that bad, Sasuke," the older Uchiha pointed out.

"It's burning my nose," Sasuke explained with a frown.

"Sasuke, I don't think it's too bad either," Sakura admitted softly.

"Uh...right. Sorry," Sasuke said slowly, smiling weakly as he took a seat at the kitchen table.

"I'll cook more since it was burned," Itachi promised and sat at the table, having a single clone work on the cooking. He wanted to focus on his little brother.

"Now, Sasuke...tell me what's wrong. You know you can trust me," Itachi promised in a gentle tone.

Sasuke glanced at Sakura quietly and gave her a weak smile before he looked at Itachi. This time by choice, Sasuke's eyes turned black and his fangs showed when he opened his mouth.

"I woke up and this was a thing," Sasuke explained with a shrug. "I don't know how to explain it, nii-san."

Itachi studied his brother's features, raising his lip once Sasuke shut his mouth. He studied Sasuke's fangs, one at a time, before letting go of Sasuke's mouth to look at his eyes. He hummed softly before sitting back in his chair, sighing.

"Well, at the risk of sounding insane, you seem to be a vampire," Itachi finally said. "According to old legends," he added quickly.

Sasuke just stared at his brother.

"How else would you explain this?" Itachi questioned with a smile. "You were out for three days. Your eyes are all black and you have fangs. Do you have a pulse?"

"No..." Sasuke finally admitted, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. "I checked in the bathroom."

"He said he could hear my heart," Sakura pointed out, running a hand through her hair as she leaned back in her seat. "And he almost bit me..."

"He tried to...bite you? When?"

Sakura blushed and looked away.

"Oh."

Itachi cleared his throat.

"Okay, well, we can't tell anyone about this. I don't think people would be too accepting of a-"

"Monster?" Sasuke questioned as he stood, narrowing his eyes. "That's what I am now, right? A monster?"

"Sasuke, calm down. We aren't judging you and we're not going to hurt you," Itachi said in a soft voice, giving his brother a smile. "But..."

"But..?"

"We have a slight problem."

"And that is..?" Sasuke asked slowly as he sat down again.

"Food," Sakura answered for Itachi.

"Yes," Itachi agreed. "Normal food isn't going to do you any good now, if you really are a vampire."

"What am I supposed to do? I'm not going to just murder someone, Itachi!"

"You might, Sasuke. I'm sorry, but it's unlikely you'll be able to go forever without slipping up," Itachi said and offered his brother a sad smile. After a moment of thought, Itachi asked, "You said you felt hungry, right?"

"Well...yeah. I felt an ache and I'm feeling a little sick now," Sasuke admitted with a small shrug.

Itachi and Sakura looked at each other.

"We'll help you," the two said at the same time.

"What..?"

"You can feed from us, for now," Itachi decided, Sakura nodding. "For safety reasons, when you feed, both of us will be there in case you can't control yourself. With both of us, I'm sure we can get away."

Sasuke frowned as he looked at first Sakura then Itachi, seeming unsure. He had almost lost control just from kissing Sakura's throat, so how was directly drinking going to be any better? Of course, Sasuke figured he'd only get worse if he didn't take care of his hunger.

"I...suppose we can try, until we find a better way..." Sasuke finally agreed.

With a small smile, Itachi held his arm out to Sasuke.

"Okay, little brother. I never thought I'd say something like this, but you can drink my blood."

If he didn't find it so weird, Sasuke would have laughed at his brother's words.

Raising Itachi's arm, Sasuke smiled a little bit as he smelled his brother again.

"You smell good, nii-san," Sasuke admitted quietly.

Itachi smiled gently.

"Thank you, Sasuke. Wouldn't be easy if I smelled bad to you."

Sasuke took a deep breath, trying to get himself to bite Itachi. He paused with his lips against Itachi's arm and looked up at his brother.

"Uh...what if I turn you?" Sasuke suddenly asked nervously. Sasuke had been turned from a simple bite. Would the same happen to Itachi..?

"Well, from what I've read on legends, vampires can't turn someone on accident. You'd need to be trying to turn me. Simply feeding shouldn't be a problem. Of course, I haven't read those books since you were a child, so my memory might be off a bit."

Sasuke frowned.

"So I might turn you?"

"Sasuke, relax. Everything will be fine. I promise."

Sasuke hesitated for another moment before he sank his fangs into Itachi's arm. He slowly drank, the warm fluid quickly making Sasuke feel better as he fed. Sasuke gripped Itachi's arm gently, holding it close.

At first, it seemed as if Sasuke wouldn't stop. But as Sakura rose to pull him away, Sasuke pulled back and leaned against his chair, his mouth covered in Itachi's blood, an almost drunk look on his face as he smiled.

"Do you feel better, Sasuke?" Itachi asked as stood, grabbing a hand towel to press against the bite. Sasuke remained silent, smiling a tiny bit as he stared at the table.

"I think he's drunk," Sakura finally decided and giggled. It was funny, despite the dark subject. "I guess he'll get used to drinking?" Moving away from Sasuke, Sakura went to Itachi and moved the towel away. "Here, let me heal you." She hesitated, afraid her healing wouldn't do any good. But as she began to heal, Itachi's wound quickly closed. Soon, not even a scar remained. "Oh thank kami," Sakura mumbled.

Itachi set the towel down and smiled at Sakura, mouthing a thanks before moving back to Sasuke.

"Well," Itachi said after a small pause. "I guess we'll be living with a vampire now."


	2. Dark Craving

Sasuke Uchiha had a problem.

It wasn't bad enough that he was a monster, who fed on blood. He could mostly deal with that, thanks to Itachi's and Sakura's promise to help him adjust. No, on his second day of being a vampire, Sasuke realized something horrible.

He couldn't sleep.

At first, Sasuke thought he simply wasn't tired. But early the next morning, he found himself alone in the kitchen. With the others asleep, with no way to defend themselves if Sasuke lost control, Sasuke chose to keep away, sitting in silence at the kitchen table. This was how Itachi and Sakura found him in the morning when they finally left their rooms for the day.

"Sasuke? What are you doing out here?" Sakura questioned, covering her mouth as she yawned. "Did you sleep well?"

Sasuke couldn't help but laugh at her question, the Uchiha shaking with the force of his laughter. At Sakura's confused look, and when he managed to stop his panicked laughter, Sasuke finally managed to reply.

"I didn't sleep, Sakura. At all. I'm not even sleepy, either."

Itachi frowned as he sat at the table, sipping his coffee quietly as he watched his brother.

"What is it, Itachi?" Sasuke questioned, feeling a little uncomfortable at Itachi's gaze.

Itachi set his coffee mug on the table and offered a small smile.

"Sorry, Sasuke. Just thinking," Itachi replied.

"Well..? Do you have any idea about this?" Sasuke asked. "You're pretty much the expert here."

Itachi chuckled and shook his head.

"Sasuke, I don't claim to be an expert. I've read some things, yes, but I don't know how much of it was accurate. Such as the sleep issue. I read that vampires sleep in coffins during the day. But you say you didn't sleep at all."

Sasuke frowned.

"Itachi, you still know way more about this stuff than I do."

"Relax, little brother. I'll help you as well as I can."

Sasuke sighed softly before nodding once.

"Thanks, Itachi."

"In fact, maybe I could pick up a few more books about...uh...monsters," Itachi said, trailing off as he stared at Sasuke.

"Relax, Itachi. I know what you mean. Books about the legends, right?"

Itachi simply nodded before finishing his coffee.

"Can I come?" Sasuke asked.

Itachi and Sakura looked at each other.

"Honey, I don't know if that'd be such a good idea," Sakura said slowly.

"What? Why not?" Sasuke asked with a frown.

Sakura hummed a bit before running a hand through her hair.

"Can you smell me, Sasuke?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke blinked.

"Of course. You smell fine, though maybe the two of you should shower."

Itachi chuckled.

"You can smell both of us. Now, imagine walking through the village. Hundreds of people all around you. Their smell, their heartbeats..." Itachi began.

Sasuke frowned again.

"I'm not staying cooped up, guys. I'll go crazy if I have to stay hidden," Sasuke said. "Plus, how will you explain me not being seen?"

"Well...we could claim you died. Fake your death," Itachi offered.

Sasuke stared.

"I'm joking, Sasuke. Lighten up."

"Just...Stay home this time, okay?" Sakura offered with a gentle smile. "Me and Itachi can go get the books."

"Before we go, you should feed, Sasuke," Itachi decided. "Maybe this time you won't get drunk," he added teasingly.

Before Sasuke could complain, Sakura moved closer, sitting next to him. She held out her arm and smiled, though she seemed a little nervous.

Sasuke looked at Sakura's arm for a moment before looking at her, smiling reassuringly.

"Sakura, I won't hurt you," he promised. Seeing Sakura still seemed nervous, Sasuke kissed the back of her hand, smiling at her. "Please trust me."

Sakura relaxed and smiled.

"Sorry, Sasuke," she whispered.

Sasuke smiled as his eyes turned black. Gently, Sasuke bit her arm, closing his eyes as he tasted her warm blood. It was sweet, tasting better than Itachi's blood had. As Sasuke drank, he gently held her arm, rubbing it slowly. Soon, Sasuke pulled back. He had a goofy look on his face as he sat back in his chair.

Once again, Sasuke was drunk on blood.

"You knew he'd drink too much, didn't you?" Itachi asked with an amused smiled.

"For now, his tolerance is pretty low it seems. Figured it'd give us time to go get what we need," Sakura explained with a grin.

Itachi waved his hand in Sasuke's face, the younger Uchiha laughing as he pushed his hand away.

"Yep, we'll have plenty of time," Itachi agreed.

When Sasuke regained focus, he found himself in his room. Looking around, Sasuke let out an annoyed sigh. Leaving his room, Sasuke muttered, "thanks, guys. Get me drunk."

Sasuke returned to the kitchen and looked at the clock. It had been three hours, and Sasuke couldn't smell or hear Itachi or Sakura. Sitting at the table, Sasuke rubbed his lips, fingers barely touching his mouth. He smiled a little as he thought of Sakura's blood. Her heart seemed strong while he drank. A little fast, but otherwise fine. He wondered if he'd be able to drink more whenever she and Itachi returned. Humming softly, tapping his fingers on the kitchen table, Sasuke looked around the room. He quickly grew bored and stood, knocking his chair over from how quickly he moved.

"What's taking them so long?" Sasuke muttered. Sasuke put the chair back in place before pacing back and forth, tapping his fingers against his thigh. Glancing at the clock again, Sasuke frowned. Sasuke walked quietly through the house, stopping at the front door. He opened it, planning on leaving, when he saw Ino.

The two stared at each other, Ino's hand raised as if about to knock. Sasuke blinked a few times before Ino broke the silence.

"Sasuke?! You're alive!" Ino shouted happily. Sasuke winced, his heightened hearing making her yell hurt his ears. Ino hugged him tightly and laughed happily.

Since he started dating Sakura, Sasuke and Ino had ended up becoming friends. Sasuke figured it was a good idea, not wanting to seem like an antisocial jerk to the blonde.

Sasuke hugged back after a pause. Her shampoo smelled like lavender, Sasuke noticed. Her heart...

Sasuke pulled away and offered a nervous smile.

"Can I help you with something, Ino?" Sasuke asked.

"You were almost dead, Sasuke. Don't try to change the subject!"

Sasuke hummed a little, trying to decide how much he could tell Ino.

"Well..." Sasuke began. "I was asleep for three days. Sakura and Itachi took care of me, apparently. I woke up yesterday feeling great. Better than ever, really." Sasuke paused, grinning a little as he thought about his first taste of blood. Itachi's blood. "I was attacked during our mission, but I'm fine now Ino. Really." If drinking blood and not having a pulse was fine, Sasuke added mentally, an amused smile coming to his face.

"And you're feeling better now? You promise?" Ino questioned with a frown. "You WERE out of it for a few days, after all..."

Sasuke nodded before smiling a little bit.

"Just tired, I guess," he lied with a shrug. "I was up all night. Now, was there something..?"

"Oh, Naruto and Hinata are throwing a Halloween party tomorrow. I mentioned I was dropping by here, so he wanted me to let Sakura know. I'm sure Naruto will be extra happy now that you're awake."

Sasuke stared for several seconds before he smiled a little.

"Yeah...sorry. I don't think I'll be able to go to that. There are some...things I need to work out before I do anything else," Sasuke explained slowly.

"You look fine to me, Sasuke," Ino pointed out.

Sasuke sighed softly and shook his head. He tried closing the door, but Ino stopped him, the blonde woman frowning.

"Hey, come on. I'm your friend, Sasuke. You can talk to-"

Frustrated, losing his patience, Sasuke opened his mouth, his fangs growing as his eyes turned black. Ino stared for a moment in stunned silence. She took a step back and opened her mouth to scream, but Sasuke quickly covered her mouth and dragged her inside. He slammed the door shut, holding Ino in place. She struggled, but Sasuke's new strength made it impossible for her to escape.

"Ino, stop it!" Sasuke shouted. Instantly, Ino went motionless, a blank look coming to her face. Sasuke hesitated before slowly pulling his hand away from her mouth. She remained still.

"Okay...that's useful," Sasuke said slowly. Studying Ino's face, Sasuke blinked. Ino seemed to be waiting. "Just...relax?" he tried. Though she still looked scared, Ino seemed to return to normal.

"What the hell are you..?" Ino whispered.

Sasuke flinched at her words.

"Ino..." Sasuke began.

Before he could finish his words, the door opened, Itachi and Sakura freezing when they saw Sasuke and Ino.

Seeing Sasuke's vampiric features, and Ino's fear, Sakura and Itachi stepped inside and shut the door.

"Ino, just take a breath," Sakura said softly, trying to calm the frightened blonde. Ino glanced at Sakura before looking back at Sasuke.

"His...his eyes..." Ino whispered.

"Ms. Yamanaka, just take a breath. Sasuke won't hurt you," Itachi promised. "He's already fed, not too long ago."

"Fed..?" Ino asked, a sick feeling in her stomach. She wasn't sure she even wanted an answer.

"Blood," Itachi explained. In his arms Itachi held three old books, the spines faded, the pages darkened with age. Itachi motioned for them to follow and moved to the living room, sitting on the couch before setting the books down. Ino slowly followed, sitting as far away from Sasuke as she could. Sasuke sat next to Sakura, running his thumb across her knuckles as he watched Ino, his blackened eyes showing no emotion.

"What is he?" Ino finally repeated.

"A vampire," Itachi explained. "As far as we know, at least."

"Has he always been a mon-...a vampire?" Ino questioned.

"Sasuke's not a monster, Ino," Sakura said in a warning tone.

"But...isn't he..?" Ino asked, brow raised.

"Ino..!" Sakura shouted.

Sasuke shook his head, tapping Sakura's hand gently.

"Sakura, I am a monster now," Sasuke pointed out. "It's...fine."

"Sasuke was attacked during their mission," Itachi explained, getting back on topic. "It's why he was asleep for so long. We thought he was dead. But then he woke up finally."

"And that bite changed him?" Ino asked, shifting in her seat when Sasuke smiled at her. Sasuke quickly stopped smiling, glancing at Sakura.

"My brother woke up as he is now, yes," Itachi replied.

"And you decided it was a good idea to leave him alone?!" Ino shouted. "He grabbed me and pulled me in! He could have killed me!"

"I wasn't going to kill you..." Sasuke began.

"Right, I'm going to take the word of a vampire!"

"Ino!" Sakura shouted and stood. "Look, Sasuke wouldn't kill you. You're one of his friends. You've trusted Sasuke with your life before, Ino!"

"That was when he was alive! Not some...some...blood sucking leech!"

At Ino's cold words, Sakura slapped her friend across the face. Ino's cheek quickly turned red, the blonde staring at Sakura with a surprised expression. Ino quickly grew angry and stood as well, glaring at Sakura.

"Get out of our house," Sakura muttered.

"Gladly. Good luck with your leech," Ino shot back and quickly rushed out of the house.

Sasuke watched Ino leave, a feeling of panic coming to him.

"Sakura, if she tells someone..."

Sakura's angry expression faded and she quickly ran outside. Sasuke followed but stopped at the door, shielding his eyes from the sun. It took several seconds before Sasuke could step outside. His vampiric features were gone, though the sun still bothered his eyes.

"Ino, get back here!" Sakura shouted. Ino refused to listen and kept walking, shaking her head quickly.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, staring at Ino.

"Ino, calm down and come back!" Sasuke ordered.

At Sasuke's words, Ino froze. Turning, she took a few steps toward Sasuke. She paused after a few steps and frowned.

"Get out of my head!" Ino shouted and rushed away.

Sasuke stared in silence, Sakura soon coming to his side.

"Sasuke, go inside," Sakura whispered.

Sasuke followed her in, shutting the door behind him.

Once inside, Sasuke ran a hand through his hair.

"That was a fucking disaster," he decided with a nervous chuckle.

"Sasuke, you need to act as normal as you can. Don't tell anyone about your condition again," Itachi quickly told Sasuke, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You need to be careful, little brother." Itachi took a breath and moved to the door.

"Where are you going?" Sasuke asked.

"I have to go fix your mistake, Sasuke. I'll deal with Ino."

With that, Itachi left, leaving Sakura and Sasuke alone. The two stared at each other for a moment before Sasuke offered a small smile.

"Oh...right. I don't think it matters anymore, but we were invited to a party Naruto and Hinata are having," Sasuke explained. "Like I said, it..."

"Maybe we should go. Itachi will handle Ino, and I'm sure Naruto will want to know you're feeling better. Plus...well, it might be good to get out of the house. We'll be with you, so you'll be fine. Itachi has the Eternal Mangekyo, just like you. That, with my strength, I'm sure we can stop you."

"After Ino, I'm not so sure it's a good idea for me to leave the house."

"Sasuke, if you stay home too long you'll just feel cooped up. A vampire going crazy from isolation is NOT a good thing."

"Sakura..."

"Doctor's orders, Mr. Uchiha," Sakura said with an amused smile.

Sasuke couldn't help but chuckle.

"We'll see. Let's just see what Itachi does."

Sakura gave a small nod before she hugged Sasuke, pressing her face to his chest. Sasuke hugged back after a moment and smiled a little.

"I'm sorry about what Ino said. Sasuke, you aren't a leech. I love you."

Sasuke pulled back and stared. Slowly, Sasuke reached up and tapped her forehead with his index and middle fingers, a small smile on his face.

"I love you too, Sakura."

Sasuke trailed his fingers down her face, his smile growing as he cupped her cheek.

"I'll love you for the rest of my eternal life," he whispered.

Sakura blushed and stared into his eyes. As she thought about his words, a sad smile came to her face.

"I'll die someday, Sasuke," she pointed out quietly.

Sasuke's hand lowered from her face, his good mood fading quickly at Sakura's words. He became silent, unsure of how to respond. Frowning, Sasuke studied her expression for several seconds. Finally, he opened his mouth to reply, but Sakura cut him off.

"I'm sorry, I don't know why I said that," Sakura muttered. "Anyway, Sasuke, why don't we see what you can do?" Sakura offered, wanting to change the subject before Sasuke could respond.

Sasuke hesitated, but the look Sakura gave him made him drop the subject.

"I can...sort of control people, I guess. I'm not very good at it but I'm sure I'll improve," Sasuke explained with a shrug.

"Can you show me?" Sakura asked. She sounded curious.

"I don't think it'd work," Sasuke replied with a shrug.

"Why not?"

Sasuke chuckled a little.

"You've always done so much for me, Sakura. But I can't control you."

Sasuke cleared his throat.

"What else can you do?"

Sasuke thought it over, tilting his head as he tried to decide how to answer. He wasn't really sure himself what all he could do.

"You don't have a shadow," Sakura said, bringing Sasuke away from his thoughts to focus on the woman once more.

"Excuse me?"

"You don't have a shadow anymore," she repeated with a shrug before motioning. Sasuke looked down and stared for a moment before sighing.

"My eyes hurt in the sun and I have no shadow," Sasuke said. "Just one more thing I'll have to hide. I suppose I could use my Sharingan, until I get a hang of things. Now then..."

"How strong are you?" Sakura asked with a slight smirk. "Think you could beat my strength?"

Sasuke look curious now, the man raising a brow with an amused smile.

"Your strength versus the unnatural strength of a monster. You really want to see who's stronger?" Sasuke questioned.

"I've kicked your ass in a spar before, Sasuke. I'm sure I could do it again," Sakura replied teasingly. "So let's see."

Before Sakura could say another word, Sasuke slammed her against the wall, his palm pressed against her chest. Sakura raised an arm to hit him, but Sasuke grabbed her by the wrist and pinned her arm above her head. Her other arm was soon pinned as well, Sasuke staring at Sakura quietly. Slowly, his eyes turned black and he leaned in. He was just about to bite her, drink her blood, when the pink haired woman slammed her knee into his crotch. The pain snapped Sasuke out of it and he stumbled back, letting out a grunt.

"I think it's for the best if we have Itachi around during these little tests," Sasuke decided.

Sakura rubbed her wrists for a moment before she smirked.

"So I guess even vampires hate getting hit in the balls," she teased.

"Any man would hate that, living or undead," Sasuke agreed and chuckled.

Not long after their small test, Itachi finally returned. He let himself in and shut the door behind him, rubbing his eyes.

"Well, for now, I think Ino won't be a problem."

"Itachi, what did you do?" Sakura asked. "Ino's a huge bitch, but she's still my friend. Sorta."

"She's alright, Sakura. I used Tsukuyomi to convince her what happened earlier wasn't real," Itachi explained. "But if Sasuke feels the need to tell her again, she'll freak out once more I'm sure."

"I'm sorry, Itachi," Sasuke muttered. "I thought I could trust her."

Though Itachi had been mad when he left, he couldn't stay mad at his little brother now. He reached out and poked Sasuke's forehead, smiling soft. Sasuke smiled back, until Itachi began coughing. The elder Uchiha pulled away and covered his mouth with his arm, coughing harshly for several seconds.

"Itachi, you need to take your medicine," Sakura ordered with a frown. "You'll get as sick as before if you don't keep up on that."

When Itachi managed to stop coughing, he smiled weakly.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I've been busy lately," Itachi explained but gave a nod. "I'm going to get some rest," he decide and walked off.

Sasuke watched until Itachi was gone before looking at Sakura.

"Don't worry, Sasuke. He'll be fine," Sakura reassured him when she saw how worried Sasuke looked. "I promise you, I won't let Itachi die."

"Hm...maybe I could..." Sasuke began, trailing off as he looked toward Itachi's room.

"Sasuke, what are you thinking..?"

"What? Oh. It's nothing, Sakura. Just...worried about Itachi."

"Sasuke..."

"Sakura, it's nothing. I promise."

Sakura sighed but gave a nod.

"Alright, Sasuke. I'm going to make sure Itachi is alright."

Sasuke watched as Sakura walked away. When she was gone, Sasuke moved to the couch and sat down. He glanced at the books Itachi and Sakura picked. Curious, he picked one up and opened it.

"Well," he said, sighing. "I suppose I should read these."

Sasuke wasn't sure how long he read the book for, but when he finally looked up again he saw Itachi standing in front of him with an amused smile.

"Learn anything useful, little brother?" Itachi questioned as he sat next to Sasuke.

"Possibly. I'm not sure if everything in this book is accurate, but...Well, could you get Sakura?"

"For?"

"There are some things in the book she might be able to help with," was all Sasuke would say.

Itachi stood, motioning for Sasuke to follow. The two walked quietly, ending up at the room Sasuke shared with Sakura. When they arrived, they found Sakura looking through her medical supplies.

"Sakura? What're you looking for?" Sasuke asked.

"Hm? Oh. Itachi mentioned a headache. I was going to grab something for that. What's up?"

"Sasuke wanted you around. He was reading one of the books," Itachi explained.

Sakura set her bag down and turned to face them, now curious. She sat on the bed, motioning for the others to sit as well. Sasuke moved to sit next to Sakura, and Itachi sat on the edge of the bed.

"So, I read some interesting things and some not so good things," Sasuke began, glancing at Sakura. "I'm not finished, of course. But, it mentioned a few of the powers a vampire might have. We already know about the strength and enhanced senses and speed..."

"Still weak to knees, though," Sakura interrupted with a smirk.

Itachi raised a brow.

"Kneed Sasuke in the crotch," Sakura explained.

"Oh."

"Anyway..." Sasuke cut in. "Other than that, the book says vampires can transform into creatures of the night. Bats, usually. And, they can control creatures of the night. Another transformation mentioned was turning into mist. I'm...not sure how that'd work, but could be useful if true."

"Turn into mist?" Sakura repeated. "That'd be useful for stealth missions," she added with a grin.

"And the not so good things?" Itachi asked after a small hesitation.

"Vampires have no blood flow," Sasuke said slowly, frowning as he looked at Sakura. "I won't be able to have any kids..."

Sakura frowned, but slowly it turned to a smile.

"Itachi, could you turn away for a moment?" Sakura requested.

Itachi, though confused, did as Sakura asked. He stood from the bed and turned away, closing his eyes as well for good measure. When Itachi was faced away, Sasuke looked at Sakura with a confused expression.

"Sakura..? What are..."

Before Sasuke could finish, Sakura casually raised her shirt and bra, exposing herself to her boyfriend. Sasuke stared at her breast in silence, unable to look away. He shifted a little, a goofy grin coming to his face. If he had been human, Sasuke's face would have been the color of Sakura's hair.

Sakura soon lowered her clothes and began laughing. At Sasuke's look of confusion, Sakura simply pointed down.

"According to that oh so professional medical test I just did, I'd say you can still have kids," Sakura said, pointing at the bulge in Sasuke's pants. Sasuke shifted again and chuckled a little, visibly relaxing.

"You can turn back around, Itachi. Sasuke's fine."

Itachi soon faced them again.

"That's...uhm...good to know," Itachi replied, feeling a little awkward.

"Sorry, Itachi. Sasuke?"

Sasuke slowly looked at Sakura, glancing quickly at her chest before looking back up.

"I'm fine," he replied.

Sakura hummed a bit.

"If you say so."

After a small moment of silence, Sakura stretched out on the bed.

"I know it wasn't a very long day, but I think I'm going to try to get some sleep," Sakura decided.

Sasuke and Itachi began to move off the bed, stopping only when they saw the frown on Sakura's face.

"What?" Sasuke asked.

"This is your room, too, Sasuke," Sakura pointed out.

"I don't sleep," Sasuke said slowly.

Sakura narrowed her eyes.

"Uchiha Sasuke, I've been sharing a bed with you for years. You might not be able to sleep, but if you don't get your ass back in bed then I won't be able to sleep either!" Sakura shouted, slamming her fist down on their nightstand hard enough to crack the wood.

Despite the fact that Sasuke was now physically stronger than Sakura, despite the fact that Sasuke was now an immortal monster, he knew better than to go against an angry Sakura.

"Ah...of course, Sakura. Sorry. But..." Sasuke hesitated. "What if I hurt you when you fall asleep?" he asked while moving next to Sakura, holding her with her head to his chest. He listened to her breath, her heartbeat quickly calming once she was in his arms. He smiled softly and kissed her head, sighing happily as he breathed in her scent. "God, I love you," he whispered. Sasuke smirked as he heard her heart speed up at his words. "It seems my words still have an affect on you," he teased softly.

"S...shut up, Sasuke," Sakura muttered. Despite her words, Sakura smiled against his chest. "I love you too," Sakura whispered after a moment of silence.

Sasuke looked up when Itachi cleared his throat.

"I can stay awake tonight," Itachi offered.

"You need to rest, Itachi," Sakura said, her voice muffled by Sasuke's chest.

"I don't want to wake up to find out Sasuke killed you," Itachi said. "I trust you, Sasuke, but you're still getting used to your new 'diet'," Itachi added quickly.

"Sasuke wouldn't kill me..." Sakura mumbled, pulling back to look at Itachi.

"How do you know?" Itachi asked.

"I'd rather die than hurt Sakura," Sasuke answered before Sakura could. He hugged her close, rubbing her back slowly. Sakura pressed her face to his chest again and hummed happily as she closed her eyes. It didn't take long for her to feel drowsy. Sasuke looked at her and smiled softly.

"Sasuke..."

"Itachi, I feel fine," the younger Uchiha interrupted. "If you want to help me, though, could you get the book I was reading? I'd get up, but..."

"Mmm...you better not leave..." Sakura mumbled sleepily.

Sasuke chuckled.

"As you can see, I'm stuck."

Itachi ran a hand through his hair before he shook his head.

"If you slip, if you kill her...you'll never forgive yourself Sasuke," Itachi warned as he turned and left, leaving Sasuke alone with Sakura.

"I won't hurt her," Sasuke repeated to himself quietly.

It was a rough night.

Hearing her slow breaths...

Listening to the soft sound of her heartbeat...

Her smell...

Having her so close to him all night...

It was driving Sasuke crazy.

By the time Sakura woke up the next morning, Sasuke had pulled away and left their bed. When Sakura woke up, she saw Sasuke sitting at his desk, head down. He tapped his feet quickly.

"Don't hurt her..." Sasuke said, repeating the words.

"Sasuke..?" Sakura called out as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

At her voice, Sasuke froze.

"Sasuke, are you okay?"

Sasuke sat up and looked over. His eyes were black and his fangs were visible. He looked at her and almost whimpered.

"Sasuke..."

"I gotta go," Sasuke interrupted and ran from the room. He almost broke the door in his hurry to leave. Once out, the Uchiha made his way to the bathroom and shut the door. He stared at his reflection in the mirror.

He looked almost crazed.

Sasuke punched the mirror in frustration, breaking the glass and cutting his hand badly. He didn't care, though. It was a welcome distraction.

Sasuke stared at the cut, his blood dripping quickly all over the sink. But the bleeding soon stopped, his wounds already healing. He frowned, took a deep breath and looked at his blood.

"That barely helped."

Sasuke removed his shirt and used it to wipe up his blood before he turned the shower on, making sure it was as hot as it could get. He stripped out of his clothes and stepped in, tensing at the water's heat. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on the burn of the water, but soon after he entered the shower he heard a knock on the door. Sasuke turned his head when the door opened and Sakura stepped in.

Sasuke watched as Sakura looked first at the broken mirror then down at Sasuke's bloody shirt. Sasuke raised his hand, showing Sakura the wounds were already gone.

"I'm fine, Sakura. I'll be fine."

"Sasuke..."

"It was a rough night. I'm sorry if I scared you. I just needed to get away for a bit."

Sakura studied his expression before she sighed.

"I love you, Sasuke. We've been through a lot. We'll manage this as well."

"I'm fine, Sakura," Sasuke promised again as he stepped out of the shower. He stepped up to Sakura and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "We should go to Naruto's in a bit. I'm sure he'll want to see I'm not dead."

"We can go now if-"

Sasuke silenced Sakura with a kiss, the Uchiha running his hands down her back. He grabbed her ass and smirked, kissing from her lips to her neck.

"S...Sasuke, wait, we..."

"It can wait," Sasuke interrupted.

"But...you..."

Sasuke licked her throat, causing the woman to whimper in pleasure. Sasuke let go of Sakura and stepped back into the shower, smiling innocently at her.

Sakura glared.

"Damn it, Sasuke!" Sakura complained as she quickly stripped out of her clothes and joined him in the shower. Sasuke kissed her lips again and raised a brow when Sakura licked one of his fangs. He had forgotten his vampiric features were still showing. He grinned a bit and pulled back, stepping away from her.

"Sakura-"

Before Sasuke could finish his sentence, the door opened once more, Itachi freezing as he saw the two together.

"I...Sasuke was...I'll wait outside," Itachi mumbled and quickly shut the door.

Sasuke glanced at Sakura, his eyes slowly returning to normal.

"Um...sorry about that," he mumbled as he turned the shower off. "I'm not sure why I did that."

"Probably...probably from all your extra energy," Sakura replied quietly, her face red. The two quickly dried off and dressed, Sasuke deciding to leave his bloody shirt behind.

"Sorry, Itachi," Sasuke said when they left the bathroom.

"It'd be great if I could go a single week without catching the two of you," Itachi replied with a sigh.

"Can't help it. If your girlfriend was Sakura, I doubt you'd do any better," Sasuke pointed out with a grin.

"I don't have a girlfriend, Sasuke. You know that."

Itachi sighed.

"Look, I was just coming to check on Sasuke. I heard his freak out and wanted to make sure he was fine," Itachi explained. He slowly looked at Sakura. "It seems you were already taking care of him."

Sakura blushed darker. Sasuke just grinned.

"Anyway, if he's fine..."

"I'm fine now. I'd be even better if you hadn't barged in, but...you know."

"Right...well, if you're fine, you should visit Naruto."

"I plan to," Sasuke admitted. "We're going to his party, I believe."

"Is that a good idea? You freaked out."

"Itachi, really, I feel fine now. Really. It'll be fine. Stop worrying so much for once."

"I'm allowed to worry, Sasuke. You're my little brother. No matter how old you are, I'm going to worry because I love you."

Sasuke stared at Itachi, unsure of how to respond to his words. He smiled a little and finally nodded.

"You should come with us, Itachi," Sakura offered.

"I'm alright, thank you."

"Itachi, come with us. You know we love you," Sakura pressed.

"Come on, Itachi. Maybe you'll have fun for once," Sasuke added quietly.

Itachi smiled weakly.

"Okay, Sasuke, Sakura. I'll join you when you go."

When the two finally left a few hours later, they were slightly dressed up. Sasuke had on a dark cloak, his eyes black and his fangs showing. Blood ran down the side of his mouth, a costume help drank directly from Sakura's wrist. He figured it'd be easy to just go as a vampire for the party. Sakura was dressed in her Jonin uniform, though she had it covered with fake blood and the left sleeve was ripped off. On her forehead was a fake gash, though the wound looked very real. On her left hand was a fake bite, her arm covered as well in bites, and to finish her zombie look, Sakura used a simple transformation jutsu to make her eyes appear foggy and dead.

"We're the best undead couple ever," Sakura decided with a grin at Sasuke.

And Itachi...

Well, Itachi hadn't even bothered with a costume.

"Itachi, are you always such a buzz kill?" Sakura asked teasingly. "It's a Halloween party. Costumes tend to be a thing, ya know."

"I'm not one for costumes," was all Itachi would say. He offered a smile, though, and continued to walk with them. When they arrived at Naruto's house, the place decorated with webs and fake corpses, Sasuke looked around with an amused smile.

"3...2...1..." Sasuke count down.

When he got to one, the door flew open, Naruto standing there dressed as a mummy.

"Hey, you're not dead!" Naruto greeted loudly, grinning at Sasuke.

"Of course he's not dead, idiot!" Sakura shouted. "I was his doctor!"

"Eheh..." Naruto chuckled nervously as he scratched the back of his head.

"Though maybe I will die of boredom if your party is anything like last year," Sasuke said with a smirk.

"How was I supposed to know the smoke would ruin the party?!" Naruto shouted. He punched at Sasuke's face, but the Uchiha easily ducked out of the way. Sasuke watched as Itachi caught Naruto's fist.

"Hello, Uzumaki Naruto," Itachi greeted as he let go of the Jinchuuriki's fist.

"Huh? You guys got Itachi to come? And..." Naruto stared for a moment. "YOU COULDN'T GET HIM TO WEAR A COSTUME?!" Naruto shouted. "It's a Halloween party, guys!"

"He's wearing a costume," Sasuke cut in. "He's going as boredom."

"Damn it, Sasuke..!"

After dodging another punch, Naruto grumbled and moved back inside. Sakura and Itachi followed, but Sasuke froze at the door and frowned.

"Uh...you coming, Sasuke?" Naruto asked. "Don't complain about being bored, just to pull something like this!"

Sasuke looked at Sakura and Itachi with a frown.

"Itachi, can you come here?" Sasuke asked, Naruto glaring at being ignored.

Itachi went to Sasuke and leaned in, wondering what Sasuke's problem was.

"I can't enter," Sasuke whispered.

"You can't- Oh. Vampire problem..?" Itachi whispered back.

"I think so."

Itachi turned back to Naruto and put on a smile.

"It's polite to invite your guests in, Naruto," Itachi pointed out. "So if you would, invite Sasuke."

"Eh? Invite...? He's been here before, he knows he doesn't need to ask!"

"Naruto, just invite him already!" Sakura shouted as she raised a fist, narrowing her eyes at the Uzumaki.

"Sasuke please come in before your girlfriend kills me! You're invited!"

With that, Sasuke finally stepped inside, Itachi following behind him. Sasuke kissed Sakura's cheek and whispered a thanks before he paused, tilting his head a little.

"Naruto, how many people are here?" Sasuke asked, glancing at his friend.

"Huh? Hinata, you guys, Ino, TenTen, Neji, Shikamaru, Lee, I invited Kakashi-sensei but he couldn't make it...um...Choji, Shino, Kiba...pretty much all of our friends. Why? Something wrong?"

Sasuke could hear all of their hearts.

"No...it's...it's nothing," Sasuke promised with a small smile.

When they entered the main part of Naruto's house, Sasuke saw everyone in costume. Witches, zombies, demons, werewolves and more. Sasuke briefly wondered how many of those things were real. Did werewolves exist? Witches with magic?

Sasuke was pulled from his thoughts when Sakura gently gripped his arm.

"You okay, Sasuke? You look like you want to run away," Sakura whispered.

"What? Sorry. I was just wondering if other monsters existed. And...I suppose all these smells and sounds are a little overwhelming. I've only been around you and Itachi lately."

"You'll be fine, Sasuke. I know you will. You've been through worse. You're strong."

Sasuke smiled.

"Just try to have fun, okay?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke tried. He really did. But after hours of being surrounded, Sasuke wanted to rip his hair out. Leaving Sakura's side, Sasuke made his way to the balcony on the second floor. He stepped outside and right away gripped the railing hard enough to begin crushing the metal. He took several deep breaths and looked at the moon, trying to ignore the heartbeats he heard downstairs. He just wanted to sink his fangs into someone and drain them of their blood. He felt horrible. If he just had a little blood...

"Sasuke? Are you okay?"

Sasuke's eyes went wide at the voice.

Hinata Hyuuga, his best friend's fiancée.

"No...no no no..." Sasuke whispered, clutching the rail tighter as he shut his eyes.

"Sasuke..?"

The moment Hinata stepped forward and placed her hand on his shoulder, Sasuke lost all control.

Sasuke turned quickly and pulled Hinata close, putting his hand over her mouth as he sank his fangs into her throat. He held tightly as she struggled, the woman unable to escape as Sasuke drank her blood. Hinata hit him as hard as she could, striking the side of his head. Sasuke pulled back and laughed as blood dripped from his lips. He stared down at Hinata, seeing the fear in her eyes before he pinned her down and went back to drinking.

Soon, Hinata quit struggling, her heartbeat slowing down. Sasuke pulled away laughing and fell back, staring at the night sky. His vision was blurry and his mind was foggy, but Sasuke noticed when someone stepped outside. He heard a gasp, then a voice. Itachi...and Sakura, he managed to figure out.

"Sasuke, what have you done?" Itachi whispered as Sakura rushed to Hinata.


	3. Caught

Sasuke's head throbbed, a dull ache forming in his temple as he forced himself into a sitting position. He slipped, his hands covered in blood, the Uchiha laughing more as he hit the railing. On his second attempt he managed to stay upright, though his vision blurred momentarily. When he was able to focus, he saw Sakura kneeling over the dying Hyüga woman. To their left, Itachi stood at the door. His lips moved, but in his blood-drunk state Sasuke couldn't tell what he was saying. What had he done? So much blood...

"Sasuke, you need to help us," Itachi repeated. He motioned toward the blood soaked woman, her throat torn open from the attack. She wasn't bleeding anymore, her body almost drained thanks to Sasuke. Her skin was more pale than usual, her eyes unfocused as she stared at her attacker. "Sasuke!" he shouted.

Snapped from his drunken stupor, a feeling of dread filled the vampire. He moved over to them and reached out, though he froze, unable to make himself touch the dying woman. His best friend's fiancée lay motionless in front of him and it was all his fault.

"Sasuke, you can save her life," Sakura whispered next to him. "I can't heal her. Nothing is working. But you...you can save her..." He looked up slowly, a panicked look in his eyes. He try to wipe the blood from his face but only succeeded in smearing it.

"No, I...That's..." he began, a soft whimper leaving his lips.

"Sasuke! She'll die if we don't do something!" she interrupted. She sat back, knowing there was nothing more she could do. "I love you, Sasuke, but she's going to die because of you. You can stop it from happening."

He looked over at his brother for help, but the older Uchiha simply shook his head. Looking back at Hinata, his eyes blacker than the night sky, he made his choice. He knew he'd hate himself for it, but he also knew it had to be done. After all Naruto had done for him over the years, he couldn't sit by and let Hinata die. No matter how delicious her warm blood had...

"Hold her still, Sakura. If it's anything like what I went through, she's going to feel this," he ordered as he leaned down, pressing his lips to her throat once more. Before he could sink his fangs into her once more, a loud knocking came from the door. "Mother f...Itachi, deal with that!" he whispered harshly. His words were still slightly slurred, though he was quickly returning to normal. However 'normal' a monster could get, at least.

After giving Sasuke and Sakura time to move out of sight, Itachi opened the door, his expression remaining calm even when he saw who it was. "Hello, Naruto," he greeted with a small smile. "Can I help you?"

"Itachi? Hey, have you seen Hinata? I can't find her downstairs and..." The blonde trailed off, sniffing a few times as he raised a brow. "Itachi, what's that smell...?" Itachi glanced back, watching as his little brother finally bit Hinata. Things were going fine, for a moment. But then life briefly returned to her eyes, the woman letting out a scream of pure agony. Sasuke quickly covered her mouth, Sakura holding her down, but it was too late. "Who's out there?!" The blonde Uzumaki demanded. He pushed his way outside only to find...nothing. "Huh...?"

Sasuke stared at his friend in silence, keeping eye contact the entire time Naruto stood there. It was still difficult, but with how much blood he drank, controlling him was far easier than his failed attempt with Ino. When they were finally alone again, he fell back, holding his head in pain. "Took his time," he muttered.

"We need to get out of here," Sakura whispered. She stood, picking Hinata up over her shoulder. She moved one leg over the railing, preparing to jump when she saw Sasuke hadn't moved. "Honey, please, we really need to get going. If Naruto comes back..."

That got his attention. The three hopped off the balcony, running down the side of Naruto's house. "She can turn at our house. Then...We'll figure something out," Itachi muttered.

When they arrived home, Sasuke watched as Sakura and Itachi took Hinata away, taking the Hyüga woman to a spare bedroom. He watched until they shut the door before he quietly went to the bathroom. He stared at himself in the mirror and felt sick. His face was stained with blood, his clothes wet. He pulled his shirt off and shut the door. He tried his best to keep busy, scrubbing his hands and face, but no matter what he did he couldn't stop thinking of the look of fear Hinata gave him. When his face was finally clean, he gripped the counter and stared at himself once more. His vampiric features remained, reminding him of what he'd done. He didn't have time to dwell on it when he heard a knock. "Yeah? What...is it?"

"Sasuke? It's Sakura..."

He opened the door, nodding at the woman. "I know. I can smell you, and your heart is..." He trailed off. He didn't want to admit he memorized the way her heart sounded. "What is it...?"

"We got Hinata in a bed. She should be fine...well...when she wakes up."

He laughed at that, though it was forced. He shook his head and pointed back to his blood soaked shirt. "There's nothing 'fine' about any of this, Sakura. I'm a monster, Hinata is dead. I'm sure as soon as people realize Hinata is gone, Ino will remember what I really am. I've been a vampire less than a week and already fucked up this bad. I should just get it over with and-" He was cut off when she slapped him. Hard. He rubbed his cheek and let out a grunt of pain, glaring at her as he waited for an explanation.

"Don't you dare leave me," she whispered, glaring right back at him. She went to slap him again, but he caught her wrist tightly. He held her in place, staring down at her in silence. His previous anger quickly faded and he pulled her into a hug, pressing his forehead against her shoulder.

"What the hell am I supposed to do?" he whispered. "I killed my best friend's fiancée." He pulled away then, glancing down the hall toward the room his victim was in. "You should get some rest. It's getting late."

"Sasuke..."

"I'm going to check on Itachi. I'll see you soon."

Before she could stop him, Sasuke walked off, leaving her standing alone in the hall. He walked quietly, his steps not making a single sound. He stopped at Itachi's room, tilting his head a little when he didn't hear his brother. He closed his eyes and called out, "Nii-san?"

Itachi soon poked his head out of the room Hinata was in. He wiped his hands off on a towel, cleaning the blood off as best as he could before going to his little brother. "Yes, Sasuke? You need anything?" He paused, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You feeling okay? You drank more blood than usual..."

Sasuke stared quietly, unable to form words. He studied Itachi with his Sharingan, burning the image to his mind. His long hair seemed silky smooth and had a pleasant scent, tied into a ponytail like usual. He had a warm smile, though his eyes seemed worried. He stared at his lips, wondering briefly what they felt like. What they tasted like. Even with his sickness, Itachi seemed like a strong man, very fit thanks to his active lifestyle. He had seen him shirtless before, though had never really paid much attention. Being undead seemed to change things. He began to look a little lower but stopped himself, not wanting to make it obvious he was checking him out.

"Uh...Sasuke? You're staring," Itachi interrupted, breaking Sasuke out of his thoughts. "As if I'm Sakura."

He blinked a few times before shaking his head slowly. Now was definitely not the time to have those thoughts about Itachi. "Sorry. I'm having a little trouble staying focused right now. Too much blood, still getting used to it...wow, you smell lovely..." He hummed a bit before adding, "Sorry, that was...Are you tired? I can watch Hinata if you want to get some rest."

"I'll sleep in a bit...I need a shower first, though. Blood isn't as appealing to me. Are you going to be okay? You look horrible."

Sasuke just shrugged and offered a small smile. When Itachi left, he slipped into Hinata's room. He closed the door, locking it before turning to face the woman. The room was pitch black, though he had no trouble seeing where he was. He walked to her bed and stared down at the sleeping woman. "I should kill you," he whispered. "It would be the better option." He raised his hand, the room lighting up as Chidori sparked around his hand, the soft chirping sound filling the room. "I'm sorry for what I did to you. I promise...it'll be over soon. It won't hurt any more." Despite his words, he didn't move. He didn't really want to hurt her, but what choice did he have? If he spared her life, she'd just end up being a monster just like him. He doubted she'd ever be able to see Naruto again, and knew the kind woman would hate her craving for blood. He didn't think she'd be able to hurt someone like that. It would be a mercy to kill her...right?

The Chidori died as he lowered his hand, the room becoming dark once more. He stared at the woman, studying the wound on her throat. It already seemed to be healing, the wound nowhere near as bad as when he last saw it. He wasn't sure if Sakura had managed to heal her a little, or if her slow recovery was thanks to infection spreading. He leaned down to get a closer look, placing two fingers against her throat. He felt her heartbeat after several seconds. It was weak, fading quickly, though it had a soothing effect on him. Momentarily calmed, he became curious, his fear leaving him. What did it look like when someone turned? Did they simply wake up, or did something happen first? Perhaps she'd cry out as the last of her humanity left her. He pulled his hand away from her throat and rubbed his cheek. It still hurt, a good indicator of just how hard he had been slapped. He wondered, if he was human, if his jaw would have been broken.

He wished he could escape his thoughts with sleep.

Standing up, he pulled the blanket back over Hinata. "Enjoy your rest, Hinata. It'll be your last."

The next three days were hell for Sasuke. Itachi and Sakura had decided they should wait at home until the transformation was finished. Sakura called in sick while Itachi cancelled his missions, claiming Sasuke was still unwell and needed more help. By the third day, Sasuke wanted to rip his hair out. He felt trapped, unable to leave their house in case he slipped up again. He tried his best not to feed again, reminded of what he did every time, but eventually he caved in and drank the blood offered to him. He didn't drink enough to get drunk. Though they didn't say anything, it was obvious Sakura and Itachi were beginning to struggle with giving blood. They looked tired all the time, their skin pale. He even had to catch Sakura when she nearly collapsed at breakfast on the second day.

Three days was more than long enough for Sasuke.

"Alright, you two can't keep giving me blood," he decided on the third day, the three sitting at the kitchen table. He simply sat with them, not needing any normal food the way they did. "We need to figure something out. I'm not drinking from you two again."

"That's not an option, Sasuke," Itachi pointed out. "You need to eat or you'll start to starve. You go hungry and you might go crazy with your thirst for blood."

"We'll figure something out, Sasuke. I promise."

Sasuke stared at them. "I'm a vampire. You're this tired from feeding me. We have a second vampire who will wake up soon. You can't seriously..." He trailed off as a loud crashing sound came from Hinata's room. "Fuck."

The three rushed to the room, Sasuke stepping in first. They found Hinata on the floor, the woman's eyes wide as she looked around. Sasuke shielded his eyes, the morning sun bothering him as usual. He quickly closed the blinds, knowing it was just as bad for the Hyüga. He kneeled, smiling as she scooted back against the bed. "Where...where am I? Why am I here?" she asked, looking around the room once more. "What did you do to me?"

"Hinata, don't freak out," Sasuke muttered. "It's complicated, alright?" He thought it over for a bit before nodding. "Sakura, Itachi, could you give us a minute? This might go easier if you aren't here. Less distracting." He watched as they left, taking a long breath. He faced Hinata. "I'm sorry, Hinata. Three days ago, I killed you. You aren't human any more. You're a monster. A vampire."

She just stared at him.

"I want to go home," she whispered. "Everything's so loud..."

"Your eyes hurt, too, don't they? It should pass with time. The sun bothers me as well." He cleared his throat. She wasn't freaking out the way he thought she would. "I know you heard what I said. You're a monster. You understand what I'm saying...Don't you?" When she slowly nodded, he raised a brow and sat back. He had expected her to freak out. He thought she would have attacked, driven by hunger. And yet...she seemed oddly calm.

"You...killed me?" she finally asked.

"It was my first time being near so many people at once. All the smells, the sounds...It was a little overwhelming. I wanted to go outside to be alone. But when you showed up...I couldn't stop myself. I'm sorry, Hinata."

"I want to go home!" she repeated loudly. Itachi and Sakura returned then, almost breaking the door down as they entered. The seal on Sakura's head had spread and Itachi had a Susanoo ribcage around himself, the two expecting the worst.

"Everything okay?" Itachi asked.

Sasuke stared at Hinata for a few more seconds before looking back at his brother. He gave a nod before standing, holding his hand out to Hinata. She took it after a small hesitation and got on her feet. "She's fine," he promised. "I'm guessing she's hungry though."

"Well that's..." Sakura began. She went over slowly, stopping at Sasuke's side. "Hinata? How do you feel?"

"I...I don't feel good," the Hyüga woman admitted.

"She's hungry," Sasuke repeated. "I'm feeling it as well. But...we don't have any blood."

The group became silent then. Sasuke remained by Hinata's side, Sakura rubbed her eyes and Itachi hummed softly as he tried to decide what the best thing to do was. An idea came to him, though he knew it was wrong. Itachi didn't care though. All his life, he'd done whatever was necessary to keep his brother alive and safe. He slaughtered his own clan just so Sasuke would be spared. Looking over at the pink haired woman, he cleared his throat to get her attention. When she looked over, he asked, "Do you have any dying patients?"

She reacted as well as he expected.

"I am NOT letting you go on a killing spree in the hospital! I'm a doctor, damn it! I can't just sacrifice my patients!" she shouted. She went to hit Itachi for his suggestion but the man caught her fist with a Susanoo arm. The two stared each other down, the pinkette struggling to pull her arm free. When her fist was released she stumbled back, tripping. With a grunt, she landed on her ass. "The hospital is absolutely off limits! No vampire shenanigans allowed!"

"We have two hungry vampires. We alone don't have enough blood to feed them. Do you want to watch Sasuke eventually starve? Feel free to offer an alternative solution."

"Guys. Knock it off. Let's just figure this out before things get out of hand," Sasuke cut in. He rubbed his eyes, his head feeling as if someone had hit it with a hammer. Hinata didn't seem to be doing much better, the woman leaning against the bed as she pressed her hand against her temple, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. "I need some air. Hinata? Could you come with me?" She looked over at him, her eyes pure black, fangs showing. "Staying near them is only going to make you hungrier. And...We need to talk."

"I understand," she whispered. "I...I'll follow you."

"We'll be right outside," he called back as he walked away from them, Hinata following after a moment of hesitation. He lead her through the house, not saying another word. He could hear Itachi and Sakura following close by, their hearts beating slow as they tried to stay hidden. He could smell them as well, their scent making it hard to focus. He wanted to turn back to them, drink their blood until his hunger left him. After draining Hinata, it was difficult to go back to smaller amounts. The throbbing in his head returned as he stepped out into the light, his eyes burning momentarily. He stared at the sun, clenching his teeth, his hands clenched at his side. He deserved the pain and far worse. He glanced over at his fellow monster as he leaned against the side of the house, his fangs slowly growing. He opened his mouth to show her, running his tongue along the tooth before shaking his head.

"We're really monsters, aren't we?" she whispered. Her own fangs grew then, her pale eyes turning darker than the void. She reached up, brushing the tips of her fingers along her fangs.

"Maybe you'll have better control than me. You've always been the quiet, kind type. But yes, we're no longer human." He turned to her, forcing himself to smile. "Oh. I need to explain a few things about your undead condition. I'll tell you everything we know."

He explained everything they knew, or thought they knew. The powers they had, what could kill them, their ability to turn others. By the time he finished explaining, a sharp pain had formed in his temple and he felt sick. Hinata didn't look much better. "Avoid getting your heart stabbed if you can. Understand?" He paused to study her. Though she seemed hungry, she didn't seem so surprised at what he told her. "You're taking this very well, Hinata."

"I...I mean, you can shoot fire from your eyes and summon a skeletal phantom. Naruto-kun has a giant fox sealed in him and learned Sage Art from talking toads. Our lives are already...I mean, this just doesn't seem too far out there is all. But...I don't really like that I'll have to drink blood. Isn't that...gross?"

"I think Sakura and Itachi taste good. But...That could just be because they were the first blood I drank. Though...You did taste great as well...Anyway, I'll think of something. We'll have blood by the end of the day."

Later that night, as Sasuke looked over the books they bought, an urgent knocking came from the front door. He lowered his book, pinching the bridge of his nose. When the knocking continued, he threw his book onto his desk and left his room, muttering under his breath on the way to the door. "This better be important," he growled out as he opened the door. He was greeted by Ino, the blonde woman staring quietly for several seconds. "Ino? What do you want? I'm not feeling that well right now." He smiled, though it was difficult. The last time they met, she had called him a leech. They had been friends, but now...He struggled to care about her at all.

"I know what you did, Sasuke," she whispered.

His smile soon became as dead as him. He leaned against the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest. "I've done a lot of things, Ino. Maybe you should be a little more specific," he muttered. God, he wanted to kill her. She smelled so good...

"You killed Hinata, didn't you?"

His lips twitched at her words. "I have no clue what you are talking about, Ino. I don't appreciate accusations, either," he warned her. "Hinata was...sick and came to Sakura for help. She was in isolation for the last few days, but it seems she's feeling better now."

Ino watched her old friend in silence, her hands balled into fists at her sides. She closed her eyes tightly, taking deep breaths. In through her nose, out through her mouth...

When the blonde looked at the Uchiha again, she smiled.

Before pulling out a kunai, the woman dragging it across her palm.

Sasuke watched as the blood flowed from her cut, dripping down her wrist as she held her hand up. He couldn't look away, his mind only able to focus on the smell. He whimpered, shifting a little. As she moved her hand around, he followed with his eyes, not moving his head at all. He slowly leaned closer, his eyes shut, the undead Uchiha taking a deep breath. When his eyes opened, they were black. He couldn't stop it, his need for blood telling him to tear into Ino until every drop was gone. He leaned even closer. Just a taste...

His focus only broke when the woman spoke.

"I know what you are now, Sasuke. And I'm sure Naruto would love to hear what you did to Hinata!"


	4. Addiction

Sasuke Uchiha wasn't the calmest person around. He got angry, just like everyone else. But over the years, and with the help of Itachi and Sakura, he liked to believe he could control his rage.

But when Ino threatened to go to Naruto, Sasuke wass angry.

A scary-calm kind of anger.

He smiled at the blond, his fangs and cold black eyes making Ino flinch.

"Okay, Ino," he murmured. "You can go to Naruto. Tell him my mistake if you'd like. I won't even stop you."

The two locked eyes. The Uchiha smiled as the Yamanaka woman slowly turned away. She only took five steps before Sasuke spoke.

"I just wonder...how long do you think your parents will survive once I sink my fangs into their throats?"

That stopped her in her tracks, a cold feeling washing over her. She could leave, make sure Naruto knew the truth so he could stop Sasuke. But...in that small amount of time, if the Uchiha followed through on his threat, her parents would be dead. She turned back to the vampire and narrowed her eyes.

"I hope you die a horrible death, Sasuke Uchiha. You deserve it," Ino whispered. She knew Sasuke was a monster now...but to threaten her parents so easily? She hadn't expected that from even him. She'd be quiet though, at least until she came up with a plan. "You'll regret threatening my family."

When Ino was gone once more, Sasuke quickly stepped inside. He snarled as he punched the wall, cracking it with ease. That bitch Ino...! Yet another problem for him to worry about. Ino, Hinata's new "condition", getting blood for two vampires...His life was becoming far more complicated than he wanted. He rubbed his eyes and sighed. He knew Itachi and Sakura would help him. They always did. And now there was Hinata...sort of. He felt responsible for her now, since he turned her.

"Sasuke?"

He slowly pulled himself from his thoughts and looked over to find Hinata.

"I don't feel good," Hinata said softly. She frowned, placing a hand over her stomach. She hadn't fed yet.

Right.

Blood.

He had promised to get blood for her.

How the hell was he supposed to...

"Hey, could you wait here for a moment? I think I know how we can get plenty of blood. I just need Sakura's help. We'll figure something out." He didn't sound too convinced. "Just...wait here."

He left Hinata without another word, his vampiric features slowly going away by the time he reached the kitchen. He took a deep breath and sat at the table.

"Sakura! Itachi! I need to talk to you!"

His family entered the room in no time, worried looks on their faces. Sakura sat by his side, and Itachi sat at the end of the table, his arms crossed over his chest.

"You threatened Ino?" Itachi questioned.

"She was threatening to go to Naruto. I wasn't thinking, Itachi."

"That seems to be a thing lately," the older Uchiha replied before sighing. "What did you need to tell us?"

"I know how we can get blood without hurting anybody. Sakura could...Borrow blood from the hospital. Me and Hinata have food, and nobody has to get hurt."

"I mean..." Sakura began, tilting her head. "Yeah I guess that could work. I could just say I'm working on a project if they ask why I'm taking blood." She sighed softly as she stood, running a hand through Sasuke's hair. She leaned down and gently kissed his forehead. "I'll be back soon, okay? I love you, Sasuke. Everything is going to be fine." She looked at Itachi and smiled softly. "Itachi, I'm bringing Hinata with me. Can you keep Sasuke busy until we get back?"

Itachi, who had been listening in silence, looked over at the pink haired woman. He smiled only a little as he nodded. "I'm sure everything will be fine here. Sasuke might make inappropriate comments and stare at me when he smells me, but he won't do anything while you're gone. And if he tries getting blood without asking, I can protect myself with Susanoo."

Sasuke looked between the two. He rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to stay focused. He'd have blood soon. It'd be okay. How was Hinata handling things so easily? Did he really just not have any self control? His thoughts kept drifting to blood. Ino's blood...it had smelled so good...Would she taste as good as Itachi or Sakura? Would she even be able to put up a fight? It was almost thrilling to know he could take her blood if he desired. He could drink from anyone...

"Sasuke!"

He looked at his girlfriend. Her heart was beating quickly, her hand over her mouth. She had stepped back, her chair knocked over. What was wrong...?

"Sasuke, take a breath," Itachi said at his side, the man's Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan showing in his eyes. The arm of Itachi's Susanoo pressed Sasuke against the chair he sat in, keeping him in place. "You need to relax. Your eyes are black."

The cursed Uchiha pressed his tongue against one of his fangs, rubbing it for a moment. He chuckled softly then took a very deep breath. Of course, it was only to calm down. Sasuke didn't need to breathe anymore.

"Guys, really. I'm fine. I just..."

His own Susanoo arm formed, knocking Itachi away. He lunged at Sakura, slamming her against the fridge. He leaned in as she struggled, ready to sink his fangs into her throat. Drain her dry...

But before he could, he was dragged back.

"Sasuke! Stop!" Hinata shouted. She held the Uchiha back as he struggled and reached for Sakura. "You'll hurt Sakura if you don't stop!" He only struggled more, trying to get to Sakura.

"Just one drop!" he screamed. He broke free from Hinata, but Sakura kicked him in the chest. He stumbled back, growling softly as he tripped over her chair and crashed to the floor. He watched Sakura and Itachi rush out into the night, off to get the blood they needed. Hinata stopped him from following, grabbing him by his arm. When he could no longer smell them, no longer hear their hearts, his head slowly began to clear.

"Oh god..."

He slowly sat down, pressing his forehead against the table. He closed his eyes tight and held his chest where Sakura had kicked him. "Hinata..." he whispered. He wasn't really sure what to say to her. What could he say?

"Sasuke...I'm hungry too," Hinata told him in a gentle voice.

"But you didn't...I attacked Sakura."

The Hyüga woman took a seat by her maker and watched him. He really did look horrible. He seemed unfocused. He was clearly unstable...Was blood really that addicting? Would she struggle like Sasuke? She was hungry, but...she didn't want to hurt anybody. She refused.

"Naruto-kun...Naruto-kun could help," Hinata whispered. Even with his incredible hearing, Sasuke could barely make out her words. "I know he could help." She had been away for days...was the blonde doing okay? He must be worried sick! "Please, Sasuke? Can't we see Naruto-kun? Nobody will get hurt. It's nighttime now...aren't we creatures of the night?"

Sasuke slammed his hand on the table and sat up. He snarled at Hinata before laughing at her words. Was she an idiot?

"Nobody will get hurt? That's ridiculous, Hinata! We're monsters! I killed you! I attacked Sakura, threatened Ino and her parents! Nobody is safe around us. Do you really want to see Naruto? Fine. Go. But you'll only hurt him. You'll hurt everyone you care about. I should have just killed you when you were asleep..."

"I'm not you, Sasuke...I would never hurt somebody I care about..."

He stared at her, her words silencing him. Hinata was definitely more bold as a vampire, it seemed. He took a deep breath before standing. He nodded once, forcing himself to calm down. To look human.

"Go, Hinata. You've always been such a kind person. Maybe you'll actually keep your humanity. I'll bring you blood when Sakura returns."

Hinata watched him quietly as she stood. She wanted to apologize for her words, but wasn't really sure how. She didn't want to make things worse. He was already dealing with enough. She remained by his side for a few more seconds before she slowly turned and began to walk away.

With Hinata gone, Sasuke was alone in the house.

Alone, and very hungry.

He tried to keep himself busy. He read from the books Itachi bought, wanting to know as much as he could about monsters. He wasn't sure which book to believe, though. Some books claimed vampires burned to ash when exposed to sunlight. Other sections claimed vampires couldn't have kids, so anyone they turned would be considered their daughter or son since that person was 'reborn' from their blood. Was he able to have children? His body had reacted at Sakura's 'chest test', sure...but could he get her pregnant? Or was Hinata the closest thing to a daughter he'd have? Did he ruin Hinata and Naruto's chance at starting a family? Vampires didn't have heartbeats, so could a child even be born from a vampire mother? How did a vampire's insides even work...? He wondered if he should ask Sakura to study him at some point.

When he wasn't trying to rip her throat out.

Not wanting to deal with the thoughts flooding his mind, he set the books on his nightstand and went to the window. He looked at the full moon, resting his forehead against the cool glass. It did little to ease his hunger, but he found it relaxing.

He didn't feel relaxed for very long, his cooped-up feeling quickly returning. He hadn't really left the house since turning, other than Naruto's party.

"That ended so well," he muttered.

Though he knew it'd be a bad idea, he had to get out. Nighttime was safe, surely? Not many people would be out so late, and he doubted anyone would cross his path. If he made a plan and stuck to it, surely things would be fine?

Just a little fresh air. That's all he needed.

When Sasuke stepped outside, he looked to the sky, studying the moon and stars.

"Maybe things would have been easier if a werewolf bit me," he muttered. "At least then I'd be human most of the time."

He began to walk then, headed toward the middle of the village away from the home he shared with Sakura and Itachi. He wouldn't be gone for long...Just a quick walk to clear his head, then he'd head back. As he got closer to the village, though, he became agitated. Even as late as it was, he could hear people. Bars played music too loudly, drunken idiots stumbling out. It would be so easy to turn them into a quick meal, drain them dry before anyone could stop it...

Perfect.

Sasuke stopped in front of a bar, one that held the most people judging by the amount of heartbeats he heard. It was dark inside, loud, and full of drunk people. Even as unskilled as he was with his vampiric persuasion power, he was sure it would work on at least one person. Soon he would have blood. Soon he would feed...

"Have you seen my Mommy?" a small voice asked from his side, a small hand tugging at his shirt to get his attention. He looked over only to find a small girl staring up at him with wide, innocent blue eyes. She appeared to be underfed and her clothes were dirty, her shoulder length red hair tangled and unwashed. "She said she'd be right back..." Her heart beat weakly, and Sasuke noticed she smelled sick. He doubted she'd live much longer if nobody helped her.

An easy meal.

Sasuke kneeled in front of the child and held out his hand, flashing her a reassuring smile. "It's going to be okay. I can help you..." She slowly reached out to take his hand, and the moment she did, he raised it to his mouth, pressing his fangs against her wrist.

Fortunately, before he could bite the girl and drain her, he was yanked away. "Sasuke, you don't want to hurt her," a gentle, lovely voice whispered in his ear. Who was it? It was hard to focus, his thoughts focused only on getting blood. He tried figuring out who had their arms around him, but he heard no heartbeat. Who...

"Hinata...? What are...?"

As if waking from a trance, Sasuke looked around in confusion. He saw the scared little girl and realized what he had almost done. He looked down at his chest as Hinata let him go then watched as the Hyüga woman kneeled in front of the child.

"Please, forgive my friend. He's not feeling well these days. Fever hallucinations. My name is Hinata Hyüga..." She raised her hand, placing it on the child's shoulder. "Please forget you saw us."

For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. But then the girl looked confused. She looked around before shuffling along, continuing the search for her mother. When she was gone, Sasuke glanced at Hinata and rubbed his eyes. Luckily, with how dark out it was, it was easy for his black eyes to go unnoticed.

"How did you do that? Aren't you starving as well? I can't focus on anything but blood!"

Hinata stood and grabbed him by the arm. She began to walk, wanting to get away from people as quickly as she could. She didn't think Sasuke looked stable enough to remain near people.

"I...I saw Naruto-kun. I told him and he offered his blood. It's...I barely drank from him, Sasuke. I feel perfectly fine now. Follow me. You need blood."

He was too hungry to argue with her. When they arrived at Naruto's and Hinata's house, he stopped walking and turned his head to listen. Three heartbeats from inside the house...Just how many people had Hinata told? He wanted to be angry, but then he recognized the heartbeats as Itachi's and Sakura's.

Great. What could go wrong?

Sasuke opened his mouth to speak when he saw Naruto coming outside. He wanted to explain things to him, or apologize at the very least. He did kill his girlfriend, after all. Even if she was still up and moving now. But before he could say anything, Naruto punched him in the face. Hard. Sasuke stumbled back and fell to his ass with a grunt, rubbing his jaw slowly.

"Sasuke, you asshole! You killed my girlfriend!" the Uzumaki shouted.

"And possibly made her my daughter?" he offered as he stood, brushing himself off. "She was made from me, making her...my progeny I suppose. By vampire logic at least."

Naruto went to punch him again but paused mid swing, looking curious. "Wait, what? That's, like, a thing? But you guys are the same age!" he shot back. He then looked from Sasuke to Hinata. He rubbed his head and groaned. "Alright, come inside so we can talk...I have a lot of questions!"

Sasuke froze in the doorway when he saw Sakura. What was he supposed to say? 'Sorry I tried to kill you, babe. We cool?' He watched as Sakura opened her arms, a loving smile on his face. God, she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. He went over to her, sitting next to her on Naruto's couch. For a moment, he hesitated, but then he hugged her tight as he pressed his face to her chest. He breathed in her scent, almost whimpering when she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his head. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I love you, Sakura..."

"Hey, hey, Sakura-chan, I still have questions!" Naruto interrupted. Mood ruined, Sasuke sat up and nodded at his friend.

"Ask away."

"So um, can vampires be trusted? How dangerous are they?"

Sasuke stood, keeping eye contact the entire time. His eyes turned black and his fangs showed. He stood there, staring at his best friend's throat. He listened to his powerful heartbeat. Naruto's was, so far, the strongest heart he had ever heard. Breathing deeply through his nose, he smelled Naruto. His shampoo, his body wash, even the detergent he used to do laundry. He gave his friend a polite smile and cleared his throat.

He then shot forward, too fast for even Itachi's Sharingan to track. He grabbed Naruto by the throat and lifted him from his seat, slamming the man into the wall. A clone appeared on each side of Sasuke, pinning Naruto's arms to the wall as he leaned in, pressing his lips to the Uzumaki's neck. He let go the moment Hinata and Sakura grabbed him, his clone dispelling as he laughed at Naruto's wide-eyed, mouth open expression.

"I wasn't going to hurt him, relax! I just wanted him to know you can't trust monsters. I could have killed you by the time they grabbed me, Naruto. Never forget that."

Everyone stared at Sasuke for several seconds after that to make sure he was actually in control. When he sat, so did they, Sakura holding his hand.

"I..." Naruto began. After Sasuke's little stunt, he was a little unsure about asking questions without thinking about how to word them. "Um...Okay, so...Do you guys sleep during the day? Do you have coffins?!"

Hinata shook her head and Sasuke chuckled.

"We have eternity, Naruto. The downside? No sleep to pass the time. Just endless time, day after day. Forced to live with our mistakes without an escape," the Uchiha vampire muttered and shook his head. He rubbed his jaw, the pain already fading. "Though, I suppose if we lost blood or something we might pass out? Possibly die."

"I'm sorry about the questions. I'm just curious. I mean...Sakura-chan is living with a vampire! How crazy is that?!" At Sasuke's blank stare, Naruto cleared his throat. "Sorry. Last question, then I'll give you blood before you go home. We can talk more in the morning. So...Does anyone else know?"

Sasuke and Sakura shared a look, the pink haired woman narrowing her eyes as she thought of Ino. Her ex-friend, now...enemy? She definitely had to be watched for awhile.

"Ino is...very convinced I'm a soulless monster with no remorse. Just a leach, a killer. She didn't seem too happy to see me when last we spoke." He eyed Naruto and smiled, leaving his fangs visible. "I threatened her. I'll need a better solution eventually, but..." He sighed and shifted on the couch.

Naruto held out his arm then, rolling his sleeve out of the way. Both Hinata and Sasuke studied his arm, listening to his pumping blood. Hinata, far more in control, simply bit her lip and looked away. Sasuke stared, unblinking at the offer.

"I promised you blood, Sasuke. So...At least until you guys figure something out, I can help out. Hinata didn't need to drink much, so don't worry. Plus, I recover reall- OW! Dick, could you wait for me to stop talking?!"

Sasuke had bit his friend's arm already, not caring what he had to say. He drank only a little, far less than he ever drank from Sakura or Itachi. Naruto's blood made every inch of Sasuke's body feel as if it were buzzing with energy, leaving him feeling better than ever.

Of course, with his Uzumaki blood being so potent, it also left Sasuke falling back against Sakura. He laughed, lips red, his eyes unfocused. His body felt very light, his mind foggy.

"Um...Sakura-chan...Is he alright? Hinata didn't react like this..."

Itachi and Sakura helped the wasted vampire to his feet, putting their arms around him to keep him up.

"It's alright, Naruto. Sasuke is...Kind of a lightweight currently as he adjusts to his new diet. He'll be drunk for awhile, but thanks to your blood he shouldn't need to feed. Hinata must just handle blood better," Itachi explained.

"I really appreciate the help, Naruto. I'll have to wait to get bag blood from the hospital, so you were a huge help," Sakura added.

"No problem, Sakura-chan! Anything for my friends! You guys take it easy, alright? Make sure Sasuke doesn't do anything stupid!"

"Not even a kiss goodnight?" Sasuke asked between laughs, giving his friend a playful wink. Of course, his vampiric features showing, it only freaked Naruto out more.

"Um...Right. Goodnight guys!"

When Sasuke's mind cleared, and he was able to think coherently again, he found himself sitting at the kitchen table. His book on vampires sat open in front of him, the page illustrating how a vampire could transform into mist. He looked around and rubbed his eyes.

"Jesus, I need to stop getting drunk," he muttered as he stood. He began to head for his and Sakura's room when he heard a soft knocking at the front door. He felt a little groggy as he headed to answer. Could vampires get hangovers? It was one of the many questions he wanted to answer eventually as he opened the door. "Yeah, what- Ino...? What the hell do you want?"

The Yamanaka woman smiled sweetly, her hands before her back, her head tilted to the side. "Do you remember what was said when we talked?" she asked her old friend. She seemed oddly excited, Sasuke noticed. What mortal was that excited at such a late hour?

"I believe I told you I'd kill your parents if you try anything. What do you want?"

Ino actually giggled this time as she shook her head. "No, Sasuke. Don't you remember?"

"Ino...Get to the..."

His words trailed off as Ino quickly moved her hands. He felt a sharp, intense pain in his chest. The pain only increased until it felt as if his insides were being dipped in lava. He coughed out blood as he looked down. He first saw Ino's hands, soaked in blood. His blood. The second thing he saw was a long, sharp piece of wood sticking out of his chest, her hands curled around the weapon.

"I told you, Sasuke. You would pay for threatening my family."


	5. Solution

When Sasuke's eyes opened again, he found himself in a dark room. He felt cold, his chest throbbed with pain and his eyes felt heavy. For the first time since becoming a vampire, he felt tired. Where was he? What happened...?

Ino Yamanaka.

He let out a soft snarl as he remembered being stabbed. Sure, he hadn't been handling Ino as well as he could lately. Turning from a friend to wanting him dead, though? Sure, he had...technically...murdered Hinata. And yes, he threatened to slaughter Ino's parents and drain them of blood. Attacking him at home? He hadn't expected that.

Luckily, it seemed the blonde woman had missed his heart, even if just barely. He felt horrible all over and the wound burned like fire, but he was alive. Somehow. For now, he had to figure out where he was. He could worry about dealing with Ino later. If there was a later. His head felt like it had a spike jammed through it, his eyes burned and his body felt weaker than it had since becoming a vampire. He had to figure out where he was.

Despite being at death's door, Sasuke's enhanced senses still seemed to work. He heard two heartbeats approaching. He managed to look up as a door opened and let out a growl of pain as the bright light burned his eyes even more.

"Sasuke, you're alive!"

"Sakura...where..." he whispered. She rushed over to him and helped him sit up, pulling him into a gentle hug. He pressed his lips against her throat and breathed in her scent. His body ached for blood but he was too weak to even sit without the woman's help. He closed his eyes and slowly drifted away.

When his eyes opened again he found himself on a bed in a dark room. His lips felt wet and it only took a moment for him to recognize the smell of blood. He managed to sit up, barely, and saw his chest wrapped with bandages. Turning his head, he found Sakura in a chair next to the bed. She had two small holes in her arm from a bite and looked a little pale. He reached out, wanting to wake her, but the pain in his chest returned and he let out a snarl as he gripped the sheets tightly. He moved to the side of the bed and stood, placing his hand on the wall for balance. He shook his head when Sakura began to stand as well.

"Sasuke, you haven't finished healing yet. You need rest."

Sasuke smirked and showed his fangs. "What I need is blood. And I know just the blonde to get it from." He tried to turn but she grabbed his wrist. Glancing down, he watched Sakura shake her head with a frown. He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead before picking her up with ease. "You're the one that needs rest," he added in a softer voice. He stared down at her and smirked. "Or...seeing as how Itachi doesn't seem to be here..." Sasuke set her on the bed as he spoke. His eyes slowly turned black as he stared at his lover.

"Yeah, we're not having sex while Itachi is in the other room," Sakura responded. She got comfortable under the covers before glancing back up at the smirking vampire. "What's so amusing, dear?"

"So you admit you want to have sex?" He moved into bed next to her as he spoke, his grin only growing. "It's been awhile, after all," he pointed out.

"But...but your chest..."

"I bet I even have enough time to give you an orgasm before Itachi returns..." He leaned closer and kissed her lips.

"Yeah, I'd prefer not to walk in on that...again," Itachi said from the doorway. "If you two insist on fooling around with me still in the house, could you please learn how to lock the door? I've walked in on you plenty of times by now."

Sakura covered her face with the blanket, her cheeks burning. "S-sorry, Itachi. Sasuke was feeling a little...excited after he woke up...Probably still a little drunk on our blood."

"I'm totally fine. Just a little soreness," Sasuke assured them. Itachi walked up and pressed his hand against his chest and smirked as Sasuke snarled at him. "Fine, it hurts like hell. But I'll survive." He looked at Sakura. "By the way...where is Ino? I'd love to talk to her." He tilted his head. "Or rip her throat out. Whichever happens first."

Sakura pushed her blanket away and sat up next to him. She grabbed his arm tightly and shook her head. "You aren't a complete monster, Sasuke. We both know you wouldn't murder someone like that," she whispered. "You aren't that person anymore..."

"You've done a lot of good for Konoha since coming home after our fight," Itachi added. "Don't ruin that because you're angry."

Sasuke closed his eyes. He focused on the sound of Sakura's heartbeat to calm himself, tapping her hand with every beat. His fangs went away and he smiled softly. For the moment, his anger was gone and he felt relaxed once more. He wasn't sure how long his peaceful mood would last, but he was going to enjoy every second. "Your heart sounds strong," he whispered. "It's really relaxing." He opened his eyes and looked over at her. He leaned in and pressed his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry for trying to jump you like that. And for threatening Ino. You have my word, I won't kill her." He got out of bed and stretched before turning to Itachi. "Do I need a babysitter or am I allowed to go outside?"

Itachi rubbed his eyes and sighed. "Sakura, you get some rest. I'll go with Sasuke for a bit," he said. He nodded at his brother and the two left the room. They went outside and headed for their private training grounds. Sasuke looked around and took a deep breath. The cool breeze felt good against his bandaged chest. He took a seat in the middle of the training field and looked up at Itachi.

"What happened? Last thing I remember was being stabbed...How am I alive?"

Itachi took a seat by his brother. He looked exhausted. "Ino missed your heart, barely. If she hadn't rushed, you would be dead. Sakura brought you inside and I went after Ino." He glanced at Sasuke with narrowed eyes. "She's lucky to be alive. Unfortunately, killing her isn't an option. In the long run, that won't solve anything." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Are you alright? You seem worse than usual."

"I'll be fine, Sasuke. I just haven't had time to take my medicine lately."

Sasuke closed his eyes and focused on Itachi's heart. It sounded much weaker than Sakura's had and the man seemed to be having trouble breathing. He looked over and locked eyes with the older Uchiha, a small smile coming to his face. "Why don't you go get some rest?" he said in a calming voice. Itachi seemed confused for a moment before slowly nodding. "You get some rest. I'll be just fine by myself, don't you agree?"

"But..." Itachi tilted his head. His eyes began to burn with sudden exhaustion and he frowned. "Sasuke...what...what are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, Itachi. But I need to see Ino, and...well, you'd only get in my way," Sasuke whispered as Itachi fell to the side, the man struggling to stay awake. Sasuke stood and brushed himself off before picking his brother up. He returned to the house and found Sakura asleep as well. He put Itachi in bed next to her before he put on a long sleeve black shirt as well as his cloak, then slipped his cell phone into his pocket. "Sorry, you two," he repeated quietly. "But Ino needs to pay." He stopped at the door and looked back at the two one last time before he left, heading for Ino's house.

It was Sai who greeted him when he arrived.

"Hello, Emo," the pale man said as he opened the door.

Sasuke forced a barely convincing smile. "Hello, Sai," he replied. "Is Ino around? I needed to talk to her. It's very important." He glanced inside and focused for a moment. It was still a little difficult, but he soon managed to focus his hearing on just the house. Only one heartbeat.

"Beautiful left a few minutes ago. She should be back soon if you wish to wait." Sai stared blankly for a moment before glancing behind him. "You can wait inside, Emo."

This was the perfect chance to get back at Ino. Sasuke could slip inside and either drink Sai's blood until he was empty or he could simply hurt the man to send Ino a message. With his strength and speed, and with Sai not expecting anything, it would be so easy to attack him. Sasuke even took a step forward, following Sai inside, but stopped before he entered the home. He stared at the pale man and listened to his heart. His eyes darkened and his fangs began to grow as he thought of how good it would taste to drink Sai's blood.

"I have to go, Sai. I'll find Ino myself," he muttered and turned, rushing away from the house, leaving Sai standing there in silence. He walked quickly through the village and ignored everyone he rushed by, focused on finding Ino. "What would be the perfect punishment?" he wondered. "Should I drink from her? Or maybe I should turn her into a monster like me?" He laughed at the second option and shook his head. "No, I'd rather die than share my blood with Ino. Maybe I'll just..." He trailed off when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He let out a soft snarl and turned.

"There you are!" It was Naruto, a goofy (annoying in Sasuke's opinion) grin on his face. "I think I found a solution to your...uh...diet!" The man trailed off when he noticed Sasuke's scowl. "Oh come on, why are you looking at me like that?! You always have an attitude!"

"I'm busy, Naruto. Get to the point."

"Well, you mentioned my blood seems to be pretty strong for you right? Like, you don't need a ton of it?" Naruto lowered his voice as he pulled out a small silver flask. "I put some of my blood in here with Hinata's help. I figured it'd last you a good amount of time until ya find a new source of blood..." Naruto glanced at the flask then back at Sasuke, offering it yet again. He grinned again when Sasuke took the flask.

"You realize this will likely go bad before I finish it, right?" the Uchiha finally replied. "And it'll make me look like an alcoholic if I'm drinking from this in public."

Naruto's eye twitched.

"Are you always suck a pain in the ass?! I'm trying to help you, ya dick!" he shouted, waving a hand at the flask. "I don't see you coming up with ideas!"

Sasuke covered his ears as his friend shouted at him and narrowed his eyes. "Quiet down, will you? You're giving me a headache." He raised the flask to examine it. It wasn't anything fancy, most likely something Naruto grabbed cheaply. He'd have to get one made later if he was forced to use one at all. He opened the flask and took a very small sip of Naruto's blood. Like the first time he tasted it, he felt energized. His chest wound even stopped hurting as much. Unlike usual, though, Sasuke didn't feel like he was wasted. His head felt a little light but mostly he felt fine. "I guess I can tell people I started drinking after 'almost' dying during that mission." He closed the flask and pocketed it. When Naruto didn't leave, he asked, "Was there something else?"

"Are you okay? You look a little uncomfortable."

Sasuke looked at the people walking by and shook his head. "We can't talk here, idiot. Follow me." Naruto started to complain but Sasuke had already started walking. The two soon arrived back at the Uchiha compound and Sasuke headed for his house. He froze a few feet from the door and glanced at Naruto. "Watch what you say. I can hear Sakura and she sounds angry."

When the two stepped inside they could hear Sakura shouting. "What do you mean he got away?! I thought you were watching him!"

"And I told you, he put me to sleep," Itachi replied in his usual calm voice.

Sasuke and Naruto went to the kitchen and stared at Itachi and Sakura.

"Sasuke!" Sakura shouted.

"Sakura!" Sasuke shouted back with a grin. She stared at him with a soft pout until he raised the flask. "I was with Naruto," he explained. "He thought of a solution for my diet, even if it makes me look like an alcoholic."

"Hey!"

"I know you're worried about me being alone right now but I promise everything is alright, Sakura." Sasuke moved to his girlfriend and smirked softly. He cupped her cheek and held her gaze for a moment before he leaned in and kissed her lips. "So why don't we stop worrying for once?" He turned back to Naruto and dropped his cloak to the side before removing his shirt, showing the bandages. "Ino did this to me, Naruto. She tried to kill me earlier."

A flash of rage shot through Naruto's eyes when he saw how hurt his friend was. Ino, who had been friends with Sasuke once he returned home years ago, had been willing to attack him? He stepped closer and studied the bandages before saying, "Why did she do this...? What can I do, Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked first at Naruto then glanced at Itachi and Sakura. "I need to get out of the village for a few days, at the minimum. Give Ino time to cool down, and let me fully heal in case she tries something else. Do you think you could get me a mission, Naruto?"

Naruto nodded and hesitated for a moment before he turned and began to leave. Itachi followed him in silence, leaving Sasuke and Sakura alone. The two sat at the kitchen table. He watched Sakura, who avoided his gaze. Was she actually angry about him sneaking out? Nobody had been hurt for once, so Sasuke didn't see an issue. Sure, he had wanted to tear Ino apart, but...

"Sasuke, um...There's...something I need to tell you tonight, if you're going away..."

He studied her again. Her heart seemed fine, from what he heard. Her previous paleness was already going away and she seemed relatively fine. Perhaps it really was about his outing. "What's up, Sakura?"

Sakura shifted in her seat and looked down. She tapped the table slowly, seeming unsure. She tilted her head a little then looked up, a nervous smile coming to her face.

"Sasuke, I'm pregnant." 


End file.
